Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani bobblehead giveaway sees fans line up hours ahead of game
Fans started lining up at Dodger Stadium hours ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds with the hope of scoring an exclusive Shohei Ohtani Dodgers bobblehead.
Related: Shohei Ohtani has 3 hits including a homer as Dodgers rout Giants
The Dodgers are giving away this Shohei Ohtani bobblehead to the first 40,000 fans at tonight's game, with 1,700 surprise road gray uniform Ohtani bobbleheads to also be given out at random pic.twitter.com/u5rdmvNbG2
— MLB (@MLB) May 16, 2024
Ready for Shohei Ohtani Bobblehead Night presented by Guggenheim? The first 40,000 fans will receive the item. As a special surprise, 1,700 road gray jersey bobbleheads will be randomly mixed in with the giveaway.
: https://t.co/36IUWLzvoH pic.twitter.com/qGiOleDLzJ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 15, 2024
The Shohei Ohtani bobblehead is a part of the seasonal promotions the Dodgers are offering at their games this season. The bobblehead, which depicts a smiling Ohtani with his bat perched above his left shoulder in a box with a design featuring Japanese anime, was available to the first 40,000 fans at the game. Of those, 1,700 featured the superstar in the team’s road gray uniform and were to be given out at random.
The giveaway attracted a sellout crowd of 53,527 – the largest in the majors this season and the most at Dodger Stadium since Sept. 20, 2019.
Related: Dodger Deals: Free food and discounts for fans when the Dodgers win, score and more at games
By 3 p.m. the line had already made its way outside of the stadium, with cars being turned away until gates were set to open at 4 p.m.
A line has formed outside Dodger Stadium. Cars being turned away at gate until gate open at 4. # ShoheiOhtaniBobblehead pic.twitter.com/mreDE0XdrV
— DodgersBeat (@DodgersBeat) May 16, 2024
The first SHOHEI OHTANI Dodger bobble head night!
What do we think Dodger fans? pic.twitter.com/M3TlARemgU
— Olivia Garvey (@OliviaNBCLA) May 16, 2024
Line for Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium. #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/GFmRXlrBhQ
— David Todd (@DTonPirates) May 16, 2024
Ohtani Bobblehead night in full effect! #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/XuHg8TADWM
— Elisa Hernandez (@EHernandezTV) May 16, 2024
Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night line with my brother & @JC319x. pic.twitter.com/b4nABEAlpd
— Joseph Cecena (@joe2strong) May 16, 2024
Did not expect so many people here at Dodger Stadium an hour before the stadium gates open. Even if it's Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night. pic.twitter.com/cekxXGDHOM
— Hubert Wong (@Hubert_Wong2) May 16, 2024
@brandonwenerd Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night at Dodgers Stadium tonight. Gates don’t open for a couple of hours and the line is already crazy.
@westlos12137
@brwalkoff This is the line for Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night three hours before the game #ohtani #shoheiohtani #dodgers #bobblehead
@claudiagestro #ShoheiOhtanibobblehead night #dodgerstadium #losangelesdodgers #ohtani #mlb #YoAmoElBeis @MLB Network #baseball
By 5 p.m., attendees had started to receive their bobbleheads, with some resellers taking to eBay, where the Ohtani giveaway was being offered for $150 and up with sellers advertising it as new in the box. One of the gray uniform bobbleheads was listed for $2,300 on eBay.
The Dodgers have scheduled three other Ohtani giveaways this season to mark his first year with the team after spending six seasons in Anaheim with the Angels. They will offer a hat, a second bobblehead and a shirt.
Shohei Ohtani Bobbleheads for tonight's Dodgers game are already popping up on eBay for more than $100.
The special road gray uniform (1,700 available at random out of the 40,000 bobbleheads) is currently being listed for just under $1,000.
: https://t.co/6QiUvgOKhy#dodgers pic.twitter.com/u6IxHnwIeq— Carolyn Burt (@CarolynBurt_) May 17, 2024